which SD colleges to look at. (nursing) (San Diego: transfer, private school)

[pballnc]

does anyone know which SD colleges offer nursing programs other then Grossmont?? my wife it thinking about returning to school to be an RN.
thanks.

[djxpress]

Depends. Is she going for a BSN or is she trying to get an associates. If she's going for the associates, check out San Diego City College, Palomar, Southwestern (though they're in some trouble right now), and I think Mira Costa.
If she's going for the BSN, try USD, SDSU and CSUSM.

[pballnc]

Originally Posted by djxpress

Depends. Is she going for a BSN or is she trying to get an associates. If she's going for the associates, check out San Diego City College, Palomar, Southwestern (though they're in some trouble right now), and I think Mira Costa.
If she's going for the BSN, try USD, SDSU and CSUSM.

idk a whole lot about this stuff but i'm guessing the BSN is going to look better when trying to get a job and maybe pay better?

[skeke]

My student assistant is in the nursing program at SDSU. It seems to be a good program.

[djxpress]

Originally Posted by pballnc

idk a whole lot about this stuff but i'm guessing the BSN is going to look better when trying to get a job and maybe pay better?

yes the BSN is looked upon favorably, and they're actually pushing for it to be the minimum standard to get the RN license (though they have a far way to go). However, unless your wife already has a Bachelor's degree, she will have to do a 4 year program to get the BSN.

There are also prereqs which are required for all nursing programs. Completing these prereqs will take at least a year, since they are all science based and pretty difficult.

[10,000Lakes]

Take into account the waiting lists too. Most if not all have waiting lists to get in. Some require that your prereqs are done before you even get on the list. I know the RN program at Mira Costa is a 3 year waiting list.

[djxpress]

Some have waiting lists, however, it seems like more of the Associates Degree programs are dependent on them. The Accelerated BSN programs that I've applied to don't do waiting lists. If there are too many people for a cohort, the school will go by a point system (Prereq GPA, Undergrad GPA, etc.)

[lrmsd]

From what I know,from others,the likely track is to start at ac ommunity college [such as mentioned alreadyand,grossmont is a good choice],and then transfer into sdsu...b/c you may not get a spot at sdsu. In fact,a frined of mine was offered free tuition to attend her last two years of undergrad out of state[oklahoma],but declined due to family reasons,and she got wait listed at SDSU,so she figured she would do the RN only-but,these wait lists have a way of opening up spots,and they called her the day before school started to join the BSN program. From what I have heard,this is fairly common.
I don't know if CSU-SM even has a nursing program-but it's another good choice.
The thing with JC first is that it's currently only $23/unit for classes,and you get the first two years at this very low cost. Then,even if you transfer into a private school such as USD or Pt Loma Nazarene,you are only doing the two years at the high tuition rate,and probably get some financial aid,too.
good luck-whatever the choice becomes. It's best to not have all your eggs in one basket with nursing programs in general;they are very competitive as your wife probably knows [across the country,in fact],and that is not related to current budgets or the economy,though I hear folks are going back to school in droves b/c of this,so competition may be even stiffer. Just a guess on my part,tho'.

[nmnita]

I would second or third the comment about getting a Bacholers if possible. The time could come and maybe not too far away it will be a requirement for nursing...Many hospitals want their nurses now to have a 4 year or an accellerated degree. If that isn't what she wants, almost all the CC have a program.

Nita

[djxpress]

I'd highly recommend the BSN, Associates Degree programs are eventually going to be obsolete. If you are hiring a nurse would you want someone with a 2 year community college degree in nursing or someone with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from a University?